Patent GB-190311077-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Self Acting Mules for Spinning.
Inventor: WEBBER WALLACE GLEASON
Filed: 1903-05-15
Granted: 1903-09-10
Abstract: 11,077. Webber, W. G. May 15. Mules.-The rollers and carriage are driven by independent electric motors. The shaft A', Fig. 6, from which the rollers are driven, is itself driven at a speed which may be varied by means of the stepped toothed-wheels a<7>, a<8>, a<9>, Fig. 7, any one of which may be connected with the rotating sleeve a<6> by a sliding central rod provided with a projection a<15> sliding in a groove in the wheels, the central rod being held in any one of the three positions desired by a spring a<16>. The shaft A<4>, Fig. 6, is driven through ratchet mechanism, either at a high speed and directly by means of the spur-wheel a<18> and ratchet a<19>, or indirectly and at a slower speed through the gearing a<18>, a<19>, a<30> a<32>, a<28> and ratchet a<27> according as the clutch a<25x> is moved to one side or the other to cause the corresponding ratchet pawl to engage with its ratchet. When the clutch is in the central position shown, the rollers are stationary. The clutch shaft a<26> is rocked automatically by chain gearing and a rocking shaft actuated by the moving carriage. The underclearer rolls m<11x>, Fig. 21, is automatically strippei by a traversing-stripper, consisting of a casing m, in which is a rotary cutter m<12> for cutting the accumulated fibres on the roller, and a fan m<6> for drawing the fibres through the casing in the direction of the arrows and causing them to accumulate in a suitable receptacle attached to the exit pipe m<3>. The fan and cutter are rotated by a suitable motor m'. The apparatus is supported on a rail in such a manner that rollers 13 at its upper end are pressed against the roll m<11x>, and it is traversed by a rope m<10x> actuated by suitable traversing and reversing mechanism. The carriage consists of a central platform or square, connected by steel tubes to end-pieces. The bolster and step rails are carried by pivoted yokes, in the manner described in Specification No. 13,836, A.D. 1895, so that the whole series of each set of spindles may have their inclination adjusted simultaneously. The motor is carried by a sleeve on the tin-roller shaft and may drive the tin roller directly, for twisting, through an electromagnetic clutch, or indirectly, for winding, through a second electromagnetic clutch. The carriage is moved backwards and forwards by reason of a pinion on the shaft c<18>, Fig. 14, engaging with a fixed rack on the floor, the shaft c<18> being driven in opposite directions as required, either uniformly for drawing out or at a variable speed for winding from a scroll on the shaft c<24>. Fig. 14 shows the gearing by which the shaft c<4>, driven by the motor, is connected on the one hand to a wheel loose on the shaft c<18>, and the wheel c<23> loose on the shaft c", these wheels being clutched by electromagnetic clutches to their shafts through a drum and scroll respectively, which are connected by a band. The tinroller shaft d, Fig. 15, is driven for backing-off and winding-on through one or other of a pair of spur-wheels d<3>, d<4> loose on the shaft d<7>, and either of which may be connected with the shaft by a clutch lever d<8>, d<9>, carried by the carriage and engaging at its lower end with a cam surface on the floor, the wheel D' forming one member of a variable-speed gearing, such as that described in Specification No. 16,720, A.D. 1901. During winding-on, the spindles are driven at a variable speed depending on the taper of the cop chase, the taper of the spindle and the variable speed of the carriage during the run-in &c. For this purpose, the variable speed gearing referred to above is controlled by a rotary or oscillating cam d<18>, which rocks the shaft d<15>, in the manner desired, to obtain the variable speed. The cam is driven by the gearing shown in Fig. 15 from the carriage driving-shaft, and is turned through half a revolution during the run-in of the carriage. The cam is made somewhat of the form shown and for varying the speed during successive runs-in, the cam is automatically raised on its carrying-shaft by a ratchet arrangement and screw. The several electromagnetic clutches are energized in the proper order and at the proper times by switch levers, such as e, Fig. 15, attached to the rails and operated by the wheel flanges. The faller shaft f<a>, Fig. 10, is connected by segmental gearing with a lever f carrying a roller f<3>, which, during winding-on, runs on one or other of a number of cam or copping rails g<1>, g<2>, g<8> mounted on a carriage, which is reciprocated lengthwise of the mule and also transversely thereof for winding the different yarn layers either by means of a hand-wheel f<46> or automatically. Each of the several rails g<1>, g<8> is used for winding on the spindles a certain desired number of yarn layers, when it is automatically changed for the next one in the series by the intermittent rotation of the shaft f<4> carrying the rails. When the cop bottom is completed, the last rail of the series is brought into operation and continues in operation until the building of the top is finished. During twisting, the faller is held in an elevated position by a counterweight, but is depressed for winding by means of a friction strap, which is pressed against a constantly rotating pulley by a spring roller.